imatter climate change

This past week, the younger generation proved it just might be able to do what older generations have struggled to accomplish – unite to combat climate change.

Young people from 25 countries on five continents joined together for the largest ever youth movement on climate change. The marches were organized by iMatter, an organization that was started by 16-year-old Alec Loorz. This teenager created quite a movement, as the past week’s events confirm:

In San Francisco, CA, Ted Turner reportedly joined Loorz in leading the city’s march nearly two years after the media mogul made a promise to the young activist to do so. iMatter reports that Salt Lake City, Utah students involved the state’s ACLU to fight permit roadblocks posted by the Utah Department of Transportation. In Kuwait City, Kuwait, an oil executive’s 17-year-old son organized a march.

Democracy is utterly dependent upon an electorate that is accurately informed. In promoting climate change denial (and often denying their responsibility for doing so) industry has done more than endanger the environment. It has undermined democracy.

There is a vast difference between putting forth a point of view, honestly held, and intentionally sowing the seeds of confusion. Free speech does not include the right to deceive. Deception is not a point of view. And the right to disagree does not include a right to intentionally subvert the public awareness.